Man Arrested for Alleged Molotov Cocktail Attack on Atlanta ICE Facility

Federal authorities arrested a 31-year-old Georgia man on Thursday in connection with an alleged Molotov cocktail attack on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in downtown Atlanta earlier this week. Inique Hinton, of Douglasville, faces charges of attempted arson of a federal building and depredation of government property, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

"An attack on federal property is an attack against our democracy. It is an act of terrorism. It is an act of political violence, and it cannot stand," U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg stated during a news conference. Prosecutors described the incident as an "act of terrorism."

According to the charging documents, security cameras captured Hinton near the ICE building shortly before 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday. He allegedly ignited an object and threw it toward the facility, striking the exterior fence and causing a fire. Investigators recovered burned cloth, lighter fluid, a glass bottle, and a lighter from the scene.

Hinton was apprehended Thursday by the FBI at a residence in Cobb County. Hertzberg emphasized that the attack was directed at the ICE facility and that prosecutors would respond with "extreme severity."

"We can talk about immigration, we can have civil discourse, but we cannot allow criminal acts, terroristic acts, like the one that was committed three days ago in our city," Hertzberg added.

Hertzberg also noted that the Atlanta ICE building had been targeted approximately six years prior, during the summer of 2020. "I want to make very clear we are not going back to that," he said. "We will not tolerate attacks on government property and attacks against federal law enforcement."

Atlanta police observed the incident and attempted to pursue the suspect, but he was not apprehended that night. The FBI subsequently released images of an unidentified suspect and offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his identification and arrest.

If convicted of attempted arson, Hinton faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The charge of depredation of government property carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.